One rookie class produced an MVP, two Finals heroes and a handful of steady pros, and their first seasons alone still spark arguments.
1LeBron JamesThe No. 1 pick out of high school who won 2003-04 Rookie of the Year with 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists for Cleveland.1000pts
2Carmelo AnthonyDenver's No. 3 pick who led all rookies with 21.0 points a game and carried the Nuggets back to the playoffs.635pts
3T.J. FordMilwaukee's speedy No. 8 pick who handed out 6.5 assists a night before a spinal injury cut his rookie year short.440pts
4Leandro BarbosaPhoenix's Brazilian guard, taken 28th, who averaged 7.9 points off the bench in his first NBA season.440pts
5Josh HowardDallas's No. 29 pick and All-Rookie Second Team forward who outplayed nearly everyone drafted above him.440pts
6Jarvis HayesWashington's No. 10 pick who scored 9.6 points a game and made the All-Rookie Second Team.314pts
7Kirk HinrichChicago's No. 7 pick who ran the Bulls offense with 12.0 points and 6.8 assists, earning All-Rookie First Team honors.237pts
8Dwyane WadeMiami's No. 5 pick who averaged 16.2 points and starred in the Heat's run to the 2004 Eastern Conference semifinals.147pts
9Chris BoshToronto's No. 4 pick who posted 11.5 points and 7.4 rebounds and made the All-Rookie First Team.147pts
10Chris KamanThe Clippers' No. 6 pick who started at center as a rookie and averaged six points and six rebounds.0pts
Photo credits
- LeBron James — Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0
- Carmelo Anthony — Tripsdubs, CC BY 4.0
- T.J. Ford — Tj_ford_zzz.jpg: Chensiyuan derivative work: Luxic (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Leandro Barbosa — Fernando Frazão, CC BY 3.0
- Josh Howard — Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Jarvis Hayes — Shakeydeal33, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Kirk Hinrich — Jauerback, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Dwyane Wade — Flickr user Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Chris Bosh — Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Chris Kaman — Keith Allison from Owings Mills, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
